Hidden Sky
by Diversus
Summary: Tsuna died at the age of five. He led a miserable life because of a brother who was given everything in life, a mother who thought he was useless, and because of a father who was never there. Reborn heads to Namimori to train young Tezuka to become the next Vongola boss, but what happens when a transfer student from Italy arrives who looks just like Sawada Tsunayoshi?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note:

Well hello there. This is my first reborn fic ever.

That being said, here we go.

Listened to Jason Walker – Echo while writing/rereading.

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**Chapter 1 – Echo**

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It was a gloomy and rainy autumn day with dark clouds. The cemetery, where men and women in black had gathered, probably loved this day. The cemetery not often enjoyed having a funeral for a five year old.

A priest stood in front of the small open coffin. There were several seats to the recently deceased's right and left. A woman in her twenties held an emotionless expression while a small boy looked very angry. A big man with sun kissed hair beside them had his eyes looking forward, not fixed on the grave, but fixed on an old man to his opposite. From his eyes tears leaked while he held his fists tightly.

The old man to his opposite had a grey hat on and looked just as grieved as the blond man. Timoteo never expected the emergency phone call from Japan. It wasn't often when he told someone that their son died in a traffic accident. It didn't make it easier when that someone was his surrogate son. The look on Iemitsu's face would have made the toughest of men cry, but Timoteo wasn't the Vongola Ninth for nothing. He saw that face all too often. He had even worn it on his own son's funeral. He only had one son left, and if anything ever happened to Xanxus, Timoteo had no idea what he would do.

"Let us commend Sawada Tsunayoshi to the mercy of God. He died too early for his age, may he find peace in the after live," the priest looked around, giving anyone the moment to stand and say something. He looked to the deceased's family. Only the father of the five year old boy stood and walked to the head of the casket.

Iemitsu swallowed bile away, "my son," his voice sounded broken, "my boy," tears dropped on the ground and mixed with the light rain, "my Tsuna-fish, he, he," the CEDEF leader looked down.

"It's alright Iemitsu, you don't have to say anything," Timoteo said as he stood to embrace the man. The blond waved his hand.

"My son, why did he have to be taken? WHY!?" Iemitsu's scream echoed through the cemetery as Timoteo stood next to him, "he was just an innocent boy. He laughed and played like any other of his age, maybe a little bit clumsy, but like any other five year old would. He liked to eat steak, always cooked rare, his favorite drink was green tea and he liked to fish, he, he," he gulped again as the crowd of people looked at him stricken with compassion and sadness. A lot of them were neighbors, teachers from Tsuna's school, but most of them were men and women from Vongola and CEDEF. They came to support one of their own in a time of need. "My precious little boy got run over by a big car. He never liked cars, my Tsuna-fish. Always scared and saying that they would one day eat him with their big grills. He was right in the end," Iemitsu laughed in a broken fit, "I loved him. I loved him so much. I would have given my life for him any day, suffered for his smile. That boy's smile would always lighten my dark days. Now I will never be able to see it anymore on his kind face."

The brother of the deceased, Sawada Tezuka, snarled at his father.

"Tsuna-fish," Iemitsu said as tears fell down more rapidly. Timoteo held a hand on his shoulder, "rest in peace my poor boy." Iemitsu bowed before throwing a red rose on Sawada Tsunayoshi's chest.

He looked so peaceful as he lay there on his back in the beautiful dark casket. His eyes were closed. The dark suit fit perfectly. His hair sat gently on a velvet cushion.

Iemitsu left the funeral site altogether. He refused to see his son being burried . Timoteo followed him towards the large metal gates of the cemetery.

"Iemitsu! Iemitsu!" The Ninth called, but the blond man didn't stop, "I'm not as young as I used to be, please stop," and the CEDEF leader did when they were on the other side of the gate. He turned and looked at the tired old man.

"I'm quitting as CEDEF leader, there's nothing you can say that will change my mind," Iemitsu said with a stern face, tears gone.

Timoteo wanted to demand an explanation, but hearing the casket behind him being lowered into the grave was answer enough. He nodded, "but what will you do from now on?"

"Teach," Iemitsu said with a fake smile, "I taught English back in the day when Tom forced me to attend college and work a few years after graduation," he remembered his predecessor's proud look when Iemitsu had finished his degree. He dully wondered if he would be as proud when he saw Iemitsu as broken as he was now.

"So you'll teach at Namimori and watch over your family?"

"Yes, I won't ever let anything happen to Nana or Tezuka, they're all I have left," it was true because Iemitsu's parents and siblings were all assassinated by enemy Famiglia. He thought it would be alright to leave his family in Namimori while he made sure there was security for them, but security wasn't enough for a car to not hit Tsuna-fish. His eyes threatened to spill again when the smile of Tsuna-fish appeared in his mind. No, he couldn't ever think of Tsuna-fish again, he was dead, he was no more.

Iemitsu would never allow something like today to ever happen to Tezuka, he would make sure of it.

Timoteo couldn't refuse the now ex-CEDEF leader's wish, not after agreeing that Tezuka would be the Vongola Decimo.

It was truly a dead day when Iemitsu arrived in his home in Namimori, no, his _only _home from now on. Tezuka ran upstairs in loud stomps. Nana simply walked to the kitchen and sat on a chair in front of a round table.

Iemitsu entered his living room and all but landed on the sofa. His eyes were hollow. He didn't register a thing where he looked at. He was about to close his eyes and try to forget the nightmare that was today, until a single picture frame reflected in his eyes.

He immediately stood, took the frame in his hands and smashed it through the window. Iemitsu then gave an ear deafening yell and burst into tears.

"TSUNA-FISH!" The voice echoed throughout all of Namimori as a picture frame with broken glass looked up at the sky.

Sawada Tsunayoshi looked very happy on his fifth birthday; the picture depicted him sitting on his father's shoulders.

Author's Note:

Poor Iemitsu…


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note:

Well hello my dear readers. Thank you so much for the replies!

I was in doubt about the ages of the characters, but in the end I let it be. The Reborn characters are mature for their age anyways, even Tsuna. Not Lambo though, no, not him, lol.

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**Chapter 2 – Rebirth**

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_Eight Years later_

Iemitsu was going through the homework that he signed up for his class last week. "Tanaka, when are you going to learn, it's not _then_ when comparing things, it's _than_," he sighed as he gave the lazy boy a D. More of the class made the same mistake. It annoyed him slightly because he had mentioned it at least twice before assigning the homework. He had even gone through it with them, explaining that _then _is used when you are describing something that has happened or might happen. D, F, C, D, B and four A's later, Iemitsu was happy that at least some of his students understood the idea behind the _than _and _then _exercise.

The ones who received A's were of course, Hana, he liked her learning ethnic very well, Kyoko, who he thought was a hard worker, Gokudera, unsurprisingly since he was rumored to be a genius ever since he begun at Namimori Middle School two months ago, and, something he was really proud about, Tezuka.

His boy was captain of the basketball team, could play the guitar and was a genius at school. What more could a father ask for?

He stored the stack of papers in his desk drawer and stood to look outside the window.

It was the tenth of October, _again_. He clenched his jaws ever so slightly when he tried to suppress the fact that today was the much dreaded day of each year. Today his son, Tsunayoshi, died exactly eight years ago.

Iemitsu looked to the clock above the entrance of the classroom and noted that it was 09:59. Tsuna's heart gave out at exactly 10:00. What a weird coincidence, he thought morbidly. Was it fate's idea to take him so young and at such a weird day and time? The year was even 2010, making it the tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year after the second millennium that marked his death.

He sighed when he noticed the clouds outside were darkening and it started raining softly. A bell rang behind him and he knew that class would start, it always did at exactly ten point zero zero.

A march of students snapped him out of his increasingly depressive mood. He walked towards the chalkboard and began writing what he would cover with his students for this lesson.

He turned to the class. Tezuka stood in the back like always. Next to him Gokudera looked at his son with ready-for-service eyes. Behind him Yamamato, the school's famous baseball player and popular male idol eyed his son beamingly.

"Okay class, today we'll be going through English history and its poets," Hana and Kyoko beamed while most of the class churned. He never understood why his class didn't like poetry, so he said, "shut up class, we're doing some Shakespeare today. Be glad that it's the Japanese translation and not the real thing." That silenced them alright.

"Excuse me Sawada-sensei," the classroom door opened and revealed the Dean's secretary.

"Yes?" He asked curiously. It wasn't a custom in Namimori to disturb an already begun class, not if you wanted the Disciplinary Committee after you.

"We have a new transfer student from Italy today. His plane got delayed so please excuse us."

"No problem Yuri-san, bring the kid in already," he was curious, wondering what kind of person the boy was. Reborn had warned Iemitsu about Gokudera alright, but another one from Italy?

He almost choked on the air that he was breathing when Yuri-san led the boy in. "Impossible," he said so low that only the people from the front row and upwards could hear.

{Rebirth}

"Do I absolutely have to sir?" He said on the phone while he looked outside.

"You're already in Japan, so yes, you absolutely have to," the voice said, sounding with lack of emotion like always, but Tsuna could always find at least one shred of humanity in that hollow voice.

"Even so, can't I just rent an apartment and watch from the shadows before taking what you want?" The rain outside was soft, strongly contrasting his unwillingness to execute the mission.

"There is a taxi waiting for you outside the airport, now go before I send Lulaby to make sure you're doing your job."

"Yes sir! Whatever you want, just don't send her." He absolutely did not want Lulaby to come over to Japan. Who knew what that weird woman might do? The last time she went on a mission with him she had almost blown their cover while she tried to get him to eat some of her homemade candy. It wouldn't be a problem if the candy was sweet, but everything Lulaby made tasted extremely sour.

He put his touch screen phone on standby and shelved it in his pants.

This was his first time in Japan since he had left eight years ago, so the beautifully advanced architecture of the airport made him smile. The flight hall was very crowded. There were masses from every corner of civilized earth. People from Asia, Africa, America, Europe, you name it. Tokyo was indeed a tourist attraction.

It was most likely because of that reason that there was a massive row of taxi drivers and people in suits carrying signs with names in different languages. He looked around. The sign on the farthest end had his name on it. The driver looked Japanese.

Ten minutes later found Tsuna looking outside the taxi window. He didn't hate the rain like most people in Italy did. He really wondered what they had against a little change every now and then. The grounds would get way too dry if it didn't rain.

"Tsunayoshi-sama, we will be arriving in Namimori in approximately one hour using one of the Famiglia's transportation routes. Beverages and snacks can be found in the hidden cupboard that can be opened with the button to your left," the driver said, who of course was hired; nothing but the best for Tsuna.

He pushed the button and was met with fine glass and silver wear. The Baron outdid himself for this occasion. Tsuna's foul mood lessened. He smiled when he noticed a chocolate bar of the brand _Brillante_, his favorite.

The secret passage that the driver was taking was empty and well hidden, and because of that and the fact that he felt no bump on the road yet, he decided to take a small nap. The jetlag from before made him sleepy and a half hour of sleep would do him good. He had a long day in front of him after all.

"Tsunayoshi-sama, wake up, we've arrived," he quickly shook his head and woke up immediately, a thing he had learned during his training in Italy. He had dreamt again. The dream was the same dream he had dreamt about for the past eight years. He cursed because of the curse that was placed on him. Well, it was better than having to live in Namimori he thought bitterly.

He stepped out of the dark taxi that actually wasn't a taxi, obviously, since the middle aged taxi driver wasn't really a taxi driver either.

"Will that be all Tsunayoshi-sama?"

"Yes, leave," he ordered. The not-taxi-driver bowed and swiftly left.

"It hasn't changed one bit," Tsuna whispered. He looked around and was met with a similar image to the one of eight years ago. He would often pass Namimori Middle School with his mother in front of him holding Tezuka's hand, leaving Tsuna to catch up with them. He didn't miss that image at all.

The building didn't look like it had changed a lot; gray and blue and sometimes red. The courtyard of the school was still large compared to other schools. That was going to be in his advantage he thought as he held an umbrella above his head to cover from the soft rain.

He walked towards the entrance and was happy that he already changed into the school's uniform. He was almost certain that the raven haired boy who was hiding on the roof would have threatened him if he had not. He did his research before coming to Japan, and a fight with one Hibari Kyoya was not on his to-do-list, especially not considering Kyoya's ties to China's underworld. Baron would most certainly not approve of animosity between their Famiglia and the five heads of the Chinese Triad.

The Dean's secretary welcomed him and led him to his first subject, English. He apologized for arriving late, which was actually his own fault for taking a nap on the airport. If the Baron hadn't called, he probably would have slept all day long due to the jetlag. This mission was one he didn't look up to in the first place. "Why me," he wondered irritated again.

Oh yeah, he remembered, because the target was his non-identical twin brother, Sawada Tezuka.

Speaking of Tezuka, Tsuna noticed from the corner of his eyes that his blond counterpart was gaping at him. A man who could only be his father, Sawada Iemitsu, held the same complexion.

"Impossible," his father said with eyes behind glasses that held too much hope for Tsuna's liking.

Tsuna moved to ignore his father and stood before the class. The Dean's Secretary, Miss Yuri, stood beside him and smiled.

"Class, this is the new transfer student from Italy, be sure to make him feel at home," she looked towards Tsuna and motioned for him to begin his introduction.

Tsuna, while having the eyes of his father on his back and the stunned look of his brother on his front, smiled happily, "hello everyone, my name is Abel Tsunayoshi, I turned fourteen last week and it's a pleasure to make acquaintance," he said in perfect Japanese with an elegant twist to it that made some of the class give him odd looks. It wasn't always that a person from Italy had an Italian surname and a Japanese first name. Moreover, how could an Italian speak Japanese so perfectly?

To Tsuna's own credit, he did not let the language falter. While he didn't actually go to Japan, he did have more than a handful of Japanese contacts. Speaking excellent Japanese would be beneficial. Baron certainly approved.

"Where did you learn to speak Japanese so well Tsunayoshi-kun?" Miss Yuri asked surprised.

Tsuna looked up in the air uncomfortably before making up the perfect excuse, "my grandfather named me after his father, but my father is half-Japanese while my mother is as Italian as you could find. My mother studied Japanese in college, that's why we speak both Japanese and Italian at home." Miss Yuri nodded happily.

"Alright, you can take the seat next to Hana-chan," Miss Yuri looked to Iemitsu who still looked petrified, "is that alright Sawada-sensei?"

"Sawada-sensei?"

"Yes," he began with a mortified voice, "it's fine."

Tsuna looked towards his father and nodded while giving no hint of recognition. He knew that his father was a teacher at Namimori Middle School, so he was prepared. Still, inwardly he did feel somewhat disturbed at the sight of a father who looked so broken to see him. "Odd, you didn't seem to care about me while you were away in Italy for so long. I wonder if mother ever told you that she emotionally abandoned me?" He wished that he could say those words, but then his cover would be blown away, so he kept it to himself.

With another nod he marched towards the empty seat near the pretty tall brunette and sat down. The rest of the class went back to what they were doing.

After about five minutes the entire class unified under an awkward silence as the teacher said nothing. Finally, after another ten minutes, the brunette to his right asked, "Sawada-sensei, the lesson has already begun; you were going to teach us Shakespeare."

That hit home and made his father wake up. His father gave him another look before uncomfortably continuing the introduction on Shakespeare's Sonnets. Tsuna ignored most of what his father was teaching the class, he knew Shakespeare inside out.

The bell rang after half an hour. Tsuna waited patiently for most of the class to leave. He stood when he noticed Tezuka leaving the classroom with two boys on each side.

He almost passed the doorway when a hand gripped his shoulder.

"Tsuna-fish, is that you? Are you a ghost coming to haunt me?" His father's eyes were wet, almost on the verge of a breakdown, "I was at your funeral, what other explanation is there?"

Tsuna gently removed the hand from his shoulder, "Sensei, who is Tsuna-fish? You can call me Tsuna if you want though," he stepped back slightly, "but I'm pretty sure I'm not a ghost, and you're kind of freaking me out sensei."

"You're my son, have you forgotten?" His father tried to reach out again, but Tsuna stepped back even more.

"Sensei, my father wouldn't like it if one of my teachers told me they are my father. Is this Tsuna-fish a son of yours?" He made a snap with his finger in feigned realization, "I'm sorry that your son died sensei, but you can't just mistake students for your passed away son, that's just wrong," and with that he left a stunned Iemitsu behind in the empty classroom.

"Tsuna-fish?" Iemitsu whispered. Abel Tsunayoshi looked exactly like Tsuna-fish would have now. He spoke Japanese perfectly. His hair was spiky like Tsuna-fish and the glint in his nut-brown eyes was the same.

Yet Abel Tsunayoshi wasn't his son, because he had seen Tsuna-fish's dead body in the casket eight years ago.

This was yet another punishment for his neglect on his family. He would be forever cursed with Tsuna-fish's image. He was never there, so he only deserved this. Now he was seeing his dead son's face on a student who just arrived from another country.

Iemitsu walked towards the window. It still rained softly as he looked up. "Forgive me God, please. If only I was there when my Tsuna-fish got run over, maybe I could have saved him."

{Rebirth}

"Gokudera-san, wasn't it? You're from Italy too I heard, buongiorno," he said in flawless Italian.

"Keep it to yourself kid. You upset Juudaime. I can't allow any punk to do that. I'm his right hand man," Gokudera produced gray-ish dynamite sticks from his pockets.

After he left the classroom and was about to explore the courtyard regardless if it rained or not, he was smart enough to bring an umbrella after all, Gokudera blocked his path. The look of fury on his face told Tsuna enough to be wary.

"Put those away Gokudera-san, it's dangerous to play with firecrackers in school."

That made Gokudera angrier.

"Maa maa Gokudera, what are you doing threatening the new student? That's not very nice," an arm slung over Gokudera and a brunet appeared next to Gokudera.

"Keep out of this baseball-freak."

"Maa maa, Tezuka is waiting for us, you don't want to keep him waiting now do you?" With that the 'baseball-freak' redirected Gokudera and tactfully distracted him as they disappeared from view.

The short sharp gaze of the newcomer didn't go unnoticed by Tsuna.

Tsuna still held a hand in his pocket. He brought his obsidian knuckle brasses with him, just in case. Maybe that had made the other boy wary. Tsuna told himself to remember to leak less killing intent the next time.

"Crap, it's almost time for the next class," he had lost track on time when arguing with Gokudera.

Still, he needed to get a general idea of his surroundings.

Three minutes later found Tsuna in the back of the school, cornered by three big students. They were laughing and cracking their fists.

"Got any money on you new kid?"

"Yeah kid, we want all of it, hand it over."

"Better listen to Zani, he's not known to be nice."

Tsuna almost burst out laughing. He smirked slightly, which made the albino in the middle furious.

The giant student stomped forward and held back his fist, ready to smash it into the new kid's nose. No one defied him.

Tsuna was about to dodge it, but didn't when he felt a presence.

"It's you," he said happily.

A hand clutched around the albino's wrist, stopping it inches from Tsuna's face.

"Of course senpai," the voice answered lazily.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note:

Not much to say, except: you all are amazing! Thanks for the fantastic responses.

Fun fact: About a quarter of this story was meant for chapter 4, but I did some moving here and there. Kudos to whoever guesses the meaning of the title of this chapter.

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**Chapter 3 – Reverie**

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"You'll pay for that, kid," the albino said as he looked furiously into the newcomers eyes.

"Really?" The newcomer made the temperature go down as he looked dangerously at the three assailants, "because I don't like it when people mess with senpai," he said as he tightened his grip on the albino's wrist. The albino yelped in pain.

"What are you morons doing, help me!" the albino shouted to his companions. His two companions looked bewildered as they stepped forward.

"Bad idea," the newcomer said as he knocked the albino out with an uppercut before throwing the albino's limp form with strength that strongly contrasted his small frame straight towards the two other big students who were knocked out by the collision.

"Fran," Tsuna said as he walked towards the boy three years his junior, "you need to work on your temper."

Fran looked hurt, "but senpai! I wanted to protect you," he then turned around and squatted before making drawings on the ground with a small wooden stick.

"You always get depressed Fran, fine, I'm sorry," Tsuna said hurriedly before Fran would do other weird things that Tsuna thought he should be used to by now.

"Hai senpai," Fran immediately stood and all but forgot his depressive mood.

"Why you little piece of-," the albino who woke up couldn't finish his sentence as Tsuna disappeared into thin air before reappearing with a fist reared into the albino's gut.

"You should stay asleep big guy, good for your health," Tsuna whispered into the albino's ear before letting the giant fall to the ground.

Tsuna turned and put a hand on his hip, "see what your depressive moods do?"

"But senpai, I knew you had my back either way," Fran said as he walked away.

"Where are you heading Fran!?" Tsuna asked.

"To the school obviously, I want to meet your classmates."

"You're not in my class," Tsuna said as horror dawned on his face.

"Oh yes I am."

"Don't tell me….." He muttered as he followed the boy who wore a dark Beret on his head.

{Reverie}

"Class, this is Abel Fran, a new student from Italy," Miss Yuri said with a somewhat bedazzled expression, "we're getting more and more students from Italy lately, how wonderful!" Her eyes glittered at the notion.

The seventy year old math teacher had his nose in a formula book, completely unaware of what was happening around him.

"I'm Fran, you may call me Fran and only that," the class looked at Fran as if he was a weirdo with his shorts and red bow tie (which some thought amazing because it was strictly against school regulation to deviate from the dress code)," senpai is my cousin," he pointed towards Tsuna who looked at the nearest window trying to be as unaware as the teacher, "that's all, can I sit now Miss Yuri?"

"Of cou-," and before she could finish her sentence Fran already walked towards an occupied seat next to Tsuna. A brunet with glasses looked up towards Fran. Fran began staring at the brunette's eyes until he made him so uncomfortable that he left and took a seat two rows back. Then Fran sat on the chair as he proceeded to take a nap. The old teacher either didn't notice Fran's presence or chose to ignore it.

Miss Yuri was as oblivious as the teacher as she left with a smile.

Tsuna sighed.

"So senpai, anything I should know about how the mission is going?" Fran asked as he stared at the baseball match going on below on the baseball field next to the school.

"Just go home Fran, I can handle this on my own," Tsuna said as he looked up at the blue sky from his lying position on the stone floor. They were on the roof of Namimori Middle School.

"Not gonna happen senpai, who else is going to keep you out of trouble?" Fran said as he yawned before lying on his back as well, "we're being watched."

"I know," Tsuna said as he closed his eyes, "don't worry, he has no ties to the target as far as I am aware of." Tsuna had no quarrel with Hibari. As far as he knew, Hibari had no connections to Vongola.

"The mission," Tsuna said after a while, "is going horrible. I haven't seen the items on Tezuka or any of his friends, but most of all," he said grimly, "the famous hitman Reborn hasn't shown his face yet either, which is strange considering his rather…..dedicated ways into training his pupils."

"You're referring to the Chiavarone Famiglia right senpai?"

Tsuna hummed in a manner that said 'yes'.

"So what's the plan?"

"We'll wait."

"So that means I can sleep all day right senpai?" Fran said much too happy.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, just shut up and sleep while you still can, we need to find us a place without getting noticed an-," a door slammed open with a loud bang.

Tsuna thought that it was odd that it took Tezuka so long to come to him, considering the memories of a very impatient Tezuka who always got what he wanted.

"You," Tezuka said with enraged icy blue eyes, "who are you and what are you doing in Namimori?"

This needed attention Tsuna decided, so he opened his eyes, stood and faced the person who he had not spoken to in eight years. He wasn't surprised that Tezuka was angered instead of moved. It wasn't always that you met someone resembling your deceased brother, but Tezuka had bad blood in him after all.

Still, he wondered, how does a person like his narcissistic brother be friends with someone like Yamamato Takeshi? He could understand Gokudera and his almost suicidal motivation to become the right hand man of the future Vongola boss, but a kind person like Takeshi? Perhaps he had assessed the baseball player wrongly when he saw him give his lunch to a girl who had forgotten her own.

Or maybe Tezuka had changed in all these years.

"_As if," _he mentally thought and scoffed at the notion. Oh yes, everyone could change, but someone who was brought up by a mother who praised every action of his, be it bad or good, wouldn't end up well, even with someone like Iemitsu around. Besides, Tsuna had the uncanny ability to look into a person's eyes and see what was really there. Tezuka reeked of negative emotions.

"I'm Abel Tsunayoshi. You're Sawada Tezuka-san right?" Tsuna asked as he peered deep into the clear cerulean eyes that must have swooned a lot of girls.

The air around his brother shimmered dangerously. Fran by now stood and eyed Tezuka warily, "I asked you a question," Tezuka's eyes arched in anger, "who are you really and what are you doing in Namimori?"

"What do you mean? I just told you that I'm Tsunayoshi," Tsuna said with a shrug, "and what I'm doing here? I'm a transfer student, but you already kno-."

"Cut the bullshit Dame-Tsuna," Tezuka interrupted him.

Tsuna almost widened his eyes, "huh?"

"Don't play dumb with me," Tezuka said with a grin, "I knew that you were lying with your pathetic introduction. I have Vongola blood in me, something you obviously lack Dame-Tsuna. Every word that came out of your disgusting mouth rang bells in me. I'll repeat the question, what are you doing here?"

Tsuna had to keep it together. He had a vague idea what the Vongola Blood was, but he didn't expect it to have flowered in his brother. And was it him or did those blue eyes turn transparent red for just a second? Something in his gut told him that whatever he would say now would be disregarded by Tezuka.

"I don't know why you are calling me useless or the reason why you are speaking to me as if we know each other, but you're sounding delirious. Besides," he added, " I can only guess that this 'Dame-Tsuna' is the son of Sawada-sensei and thus making him you're brother. I heard from someone that you're Sawada-sensei's son," Tsuna kept his eyes focused on Tezuka.

"You want to keep playing stupid Dame-Tsuna? Always the fool," his brother sneered as red flashed and disappeared from his eyes.

"Shouldn't you be more surprised if I really am your deceased brother?" He asked curiously.

"Ha, you think I ever cared for you Dame-Tsuna? You always kept me back and made me ashamed to share blood with you. I always told mom that you were useless and that she should disown you."

Tsuna was right after all, Tezuka hadn't changed. His brother was nothing if not devious, treacherous and manipulative. But it really didn't matter. After all these years of traveling in Europe, Asia, America and Africa and other exotic and less than thrilling places, he had seen a lot of cruel things. It also changed how he viewed the world. Why would he trouble himself with facts that he couldn't change either way? The look in the eyes of his brother even told him that whatever Tsuna would say now would be irrelevant.

"So you won't tell Sawada-sensei that you think I'm your deceased brother?" He asked.

"Tell him? Now why would I do that? I got him in the palm of my hand, just like I do mother. You're just in the way, so leave," Tezuka said as he stepped forward.

Fran didn't show it, but his eyes said more than enough; if Tezuka put one more step in the direction of Tsuna, his beret wearing friend would attack Tezuka.

"And if I say no?" He asked annoyed. He could tolerate a lot, but the blond was getting on his nerves.

"JUUDAIME!" Gokudera came running up the stairs and entered the roof before panting. Tezuka's dangerous aura disappeared along with the flashing eyes and look of complete and utter anger.

"Gokudera-kun, didn't I ask you to watch the baseball game without me?" Tezuka asked with a voice that Tsuna had a hard time recognizing. It seemed that his suspicions were right; Tezuka was manipulating the gray haired Italian.

"I couldn't leave you Juudaime, who knows what dangers might walk in your path? I already checked the perimeter around the school, but I found nothing," then Gokudera looked towards Tsuna and grit his teeth, "you better not be annoying Juudaime again." As fast as before the Mafioso by the name of Smoking Bomb Hayato had his dynamites out.

Tsuna admired Gokudera's loyalty, but he couldn't start a fight now. That would be stupid for more than one reason. For one, if he did anything, he was pretty sure Reborn would show up, if he hadn't already, and secondly, it would make the famous hitman wary. Reborn knew about Tezuka's _deceased _brother after all.

If Reborn suddenly figured out Tsuna's real motive for being in Namimori, it would alarm his father and that would alarm the homeland. Baron would go nuts. He shuddered at the idea of Baron starting a war against Vongola. That would be one bloodshed Tsuna wouldn't want an invitation to.

"I think we're going to leave," Tsuna said as he walked around Tezuka and Gokudera. Fran followed after him with his typical lazy expression, but eyes plastered on Tezuka.

"Hold up," Tezuka said as he jumped in front of Tsuna, "who said you could leave?" This time Gokudera looked surprised, "Gokudera-kun, these are bad people from the homeland, the Ninth has sent me a message warning me about them, they are here to assassinate me," and with a simple yet clever lie Tezuka had made Hayato the bomber look in absolute fury at Tsuna and Fran like they were the incarnation of evil itself. If looks could kill, Tsuna and Fran would be dead by now.

"Tezu-baka, what are you doing?" A child-like voice boomed with authority.

Tsuna sighed; on the roof of the stair house stood Reborn looking at the four with a calculating look. Tsuna could only pray that it would end well. Damn Baron and his mission for the Vongola Rings.

{Reverie}

Tsuna knew he was screwed from the moment Reborn jumped next to Tezuka. Tsuna was an exceptional member of Baron's Famiglia, but Reborn was the number one hitman of the world, one of the seven Rainbow guardians, the I Prescelti Sette. He had to move with caution from now on.

"You the one that's got Tezu-baka all worked up?" Reborn said with a deadly smile. Tsuna would have laughed if it were anyone but Reborn.

"Senpai, who's the kid?" Fran said as he pointed down with his index finger.

Tsuna trembled before putting a hand on Fran's mouth, preventing him from saying anything that might cause them to get into more trouble than they were already in, "I don't know Fran, but show some respect."

"Bugh w-sh-I," muffled tones came out of Fran's mouth.

"Forgive his rudeness stranger-san, my friend sometimes doesn't know when to shut up," Tsuna laughed heartily.

"That's oke, you're Abel Tsunayoshi, no?"

"Hai," Tsuna answered while looking straight into the only pair of eyes that he couldn't decipher.

"You said that Tsunayoshi would be a loud mouth? He's polite, and what were you saying about him assassinating you Tezu-baka? The Ninth never said such things," Reborn kicked Tezuka's knee causing him to jump on one leg and making Gokudera look mortified as he didn't know what to do.

"He did tell me, he just didn't tell you Reborn-sensei," Tezuka sounded awfully controlled even when his face strongly contradicted it.

Tsuna didn't believe one bit that Reborn could be fooled. He knew that Reborn was much older than he seemed. He had read about the Arcobaleno curse. The oldest record of him was in a newspaper in 1983, New Orleans. Keeping that in mind, he put two and two together and realized that the strongest of the seven Arcobaleno had probably seen through Tezuka's act from the very first day. Maybe that was why he referred to his brother as 'Tezu-baka'.

Reborn ignored his brother's bickering and left Gokudera to tend to him, "you're from Italy aren't you? Buongiorno."

"Buongiorno mister…."

"Reborn."

"Mister Reborn."

A silence fell as those calculating eyes looked at Tsuna, assessing him. Tsuna couldn't go underneath Reborn's radar completely, but what could do was capitalize on the fact that Reborn had absolutely no idea that he was Tezuka's brother who by all means should be dead.

"It seems my student is misbehaving Tsunayoshi, I'll be sure to up his training," an evil glint spawned on the Arcobaleno's eyes. Reborn turned, kicked Tezuka again and dragged him by his color down the stairs of the stair house. Gokudera hurried after them in worry.

Tsuna heaved a sigh in relief. He had thought of at least seven ways how the meeting with Reborn could have ended very badly. Thankfully Reborn knew that Tezuka would lie if it would benefit him, if that wasn't the case, Tsuna held no doubt that he might have had a bullet lodged in his forehead right about now. He shuddered at the idea of the most powerful Arcobaleno coming after him because of Tezuka telling him that Tsuna was after the future Vongola Decimo's life.

"Senpai, what's wrong with you? I could have handled that guy with the dynamite sticks and you could have easily taken Tezuka, why did you hesitate?"

"Because Fran," Tsuna said as he walked towards the stair house, "that was Reborn, and yes, the _Reborn_ I was telling you about four years ago when I first found you," he turned his head over his shoulders looking at a somewhat awake Fran, "I Prescelti Sette, dangerous folk alright," and with that he descended the stairs. Fran followed him a moment later.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note:

The responses to this story are phenomenal. I love you all, thanks!

Changed my Pen Name by the way. The old one didn't really feel right. This one seems perfect.

Listened to the vampire diaries soundtrack while writing this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Forget**

* * *

It was summer

The sky was blue and it was sunny. Neighborhoods were being baked in golden rays of warmth. Children played with hoops and balls; the look on their faces perfectly matching the sunny weather. Insects were crawling up leaves as they sat and enjoyed the atmosphere. Even the clouds agreed with the weather because they spread to let clarity reach Namimori.

A boy of four kicked a ball over to his friend who kicked it back. They were laughing and having fun. Young girls were happily playing hockey next to the boys. Further up the street older children played in all sorts of activities. And just around the corner a big park loomed showing picnics and families enjoying themselves

Tsuna hated it.

He had his arms on the white window sill while watching the outside world through the transparent glass. The children outside were doing things that Tsuna couldn't remember ever doing.

Except for him no one was at home. His mother took Tezuka to the park to play with the other children. When Tsuna asked, _"mom I want to come too can I, can I!?," _his mother looked up to the ceiling as Tezuka nudged at her side to get going already, _"my friends can't stand Dame-Tsuna mom, he'll embarrass us, let's go," _and her mother just patted Tsuna on the head before leaving with Tezuka, closing the door in front of Tsuna's face. A tight feeling made his stomach churn. He wanted to cry, but tears wouldn't fall down, no matter how hard he tried.

It was just another typical day in July. Everyday Tezuka, his younger non-identical twin, would demand that their mother take him to the park. Tsuna never had the chance to suggest something else, because his mother would just pat him on the head before leaving with Tezuka.

It wasn't fair. Why did Tezuka get everything he wanted? Was it because Tsuna was a quiet person who enjoyed watching television instead of playing soccer or basketball? Or maybe it was because he'd rather play with his Lego than be Tezuka's playing partner where he usually would be the slave and Tezuka the master? He didn't particularly enjoy school, so maybe that was the reason that he flunked all his grades. Tsuna just thought everything at school was boring.

Tezuka on the other hand was wild and liked to be outside every time. He loved playing basketball in their yard where Tezuka demanded that his mother build a hoop for him and his friends. Tezuka was also a genius because he never had to learn for anything at school, he just got good grades either way.

It wasn't fair at all. Tsuna was always left behind.

A lump formed in his throat as he turned from the window and looked at the same living room that he saw each day. Home was like a prison to him, and after his entire life of observing, he knew every nook and cranny there was in the Sawada residence. To his left a television stood on a white piece of furniture, Tezuka's toys were sprawled on the ground in front of it. A couch stood to his right. It matched the light carpet on the ground.

Tsuna sighed as he walked towards the other end of the living room to sit on one of the chairs placed in front of a rectangular table. He crossed his arms and buried his face in them. He wanted to cry, but tears never came out.

Tezuka had everything in life; their mother's undying love, their father's proud face that was only reserved for Tezuka, all the most expensive toys and clothes, and even the wish to eat whatever he wanted for dinner twice a week while Tsuna could never decide. Life was simply in the favor of Tezuka.

But, there was one thing that Tezuka didn't have. Something that was sent down by powers beyond human understanding, a gift reserved only for Tsuna. He smiled slightly as he looked up from his crossed arms. He focused and narrowed his eyes on the center of the table.

And there it was; a single floating flame, so pure that it lit up Tsuna's ever depressing mood and day. It was the only thing that kept him sane. If it wasn't for the flame, he didn't know what he would do.

He reached for it with his hand and never hesitated to pull back because he knew that the flames wouldn't hurt him. Whenever he touched the flames, the flames would just lick his skin pleasantly.

"If you are my light, is my life with mother and Tezuka my darkness?" The flames brightness increased as he spoke the words.

"Mom, I hope Dame-Tsuna stays in his room all day," a voice cut in. The flame slowly disappeared into nothingness as Tezuka stepped into the living room.

"What are you doing here Dame-Tsuna? Ruining my day already," Tezuka said as he stomped heavily on the living room floor. Tsuna looked into his brother's eyes. Tezuka just growled. A second later an evil smile appeared on his face, "mom, Dame-Tsuna is cursing again, he's making me really sad!" Tezuka cupped his hands around his face as he feigned crying. Their mother walked in a moment later.

"Tsuna! Why are you always making your brother cry? And you wonder why you can't come and play with us? Learn to behave first young man," his mother put her arms around Tezuka. Tsuna looked on with a throbbing feeling in his chest.

"But mo-."

"No buts Tsuna, go to your room, now," her mother said in a tone that would never allow Tsuna to protest.

Tsuna simply hopped off the chair and walked towards the corridor next to the living room. His mother was still comforting Tezuka as he looked back over his shoulder. An evil smile was plastered on his brother's face as he leaned on their mother's shoulder while looking at Tsuna.

"Senpai, wake up, senpai, earth to senpai."

"Huh what?"

{Forget}

"You were daydreaming senpai, and I thought that you said that I was hard to wake," Fran was looked bored and worriedly towards Tsuna.

Currently the two of them were in their new apartment's living room. Fran didn't care much for the interior, so when Tsuna chose for light walls and dark furniture, Fran didn't complain at all. He simply dumped his bag of clothes in his own chosen room and went to sleep. When he woke up he wanted to drink some water, but when he saw Tsuna sleeping on the couch with a tormented expression, a sight that he didn't encounter many times, he began to worry.

Tsuna was mumbling in his sleep. Fran didn't know everything about his senpai, but what he did know was that he was too kind for his own good, even when he showed differently. Tsuna was very professional, but he had the most unforgiving weakness in the entire maffia world; kindness. If Tsuna wasn't as skilled as he was, he would have died by now.

"Dreams of the past Fran, dark dreams," Tsuna said before he yawned. He stood and walked to the window. A view of Namimori welcomed him. The school wasn't far from their apartment. The target's house was not far either. They had picked out a good apartment. With the help of their Famiglia it was also less difficult to find housing under the watchful eyes of Reborn.

Tsuna slept for far too much. He didn't like sleeping longer than eight hours, even though his body protested most of the time. The sky was darkening and it would be seven p.m. soon, "I'm going out," he said as he turned for the door of their apartment.

"Want me to come with you?"

"No, I need some time alone," he said as he closed the door behind him. Fran would understand, he always did.

Fran had a somewhat similar past after all, except that his friend never knew his own parents. Tsuna, after years of research and hunting down specialists, found out that Fran was conceived in a lab. His parents were scientists who died protecting him. Fran was doomed because of his genetics that would have meant his death. Fran's parents experimented on Fran's genetics to save his life, but when the mafia found out, they were killed before they could continue. Thankfully for his friend's sake, the scientists managed to give the by now one month old Fran to a lady in the mountains. That's where Tsuna found Fran.

The streets were becoming emptier as he walked on the pavement. It was autumn and the trees were shedding crisp and orange colored leaves. He had his hands in his pockets. It was always around this month that he felt depressed. Deep down inside he knew why. Today was the die that he died, the day that his family buried him deep into the ground. If only they knew.

But if they knew, Tsuna would never have met Baron or Fran, or any of the other wonderful people in the world. It was a sad fact, but he would choose his afterlife, the life that started when Sawada Tsunayoshi died and Abel Tsunayoshi was born, over his life before.

It still stung and hurt, but Tsuna couldn't cry. He hadn't cried in so long, he couldn't even remember the last time. It was as if the tears were being collected in a large vault deep in his heart. "I wonder if one day the vault will flood," he thought, but didn't care either way. He was too broken to care. Abel Tsunayoshi would manage.

He stood and looked with tired eyes at the familiar playground that was a few streets away from his childhood home. It was abandoned, no wonder considering the time and the ever so darkly becoming sky.

He sighed and walked to one of the swing in the playground. He sat on the right swing of the pair and looked up in the sky as he let gravity swing him forward and back.

It was probably an hour later, because the sky was pitch black, when he woke up from his mesmerized state. It felt too surreal to be back in Namimori. His feet wanted him to walk towards the nearest airport and leave, but his brain told him otherwise.

"Feeling lonely tonight Tsunayoshi?" A baby like voice said.

He looked to his left and saw Reborn sitting on the other swing. He nodded towards him, "hello Reborn-san."

Fate was odd. It was autumn, lonely, depressive and cold, and his only companion for the night was the deadliest hitman in the entire world who didn't know that Tsunayoshi was his pupil's older brother.

"Is there a reason that you look so sad Tsunayoshi?" Reborn asked as he looked up at Tsuna.

Tsuna didn't know why, but he turned and looked at dark marble eyes, empty pits in fact; it was the most welcoming sight he had ever seen since arriving in Namimori.

"I'm trying to forget something that never happened," he gave a tired smile.

Reborn wouldn't understand him of course, but it was still nice to have someone listen to his cryptic words that even he himself had trouble understanding. The next words that were spoken by Reborn, however, surprised him, "you can't forget something that never happened, you need to acknowledge that it happened. Denying something that you know has taken place is only running away from the truth. Only by embracing your past can you truly forget," and with that the legendary hitman jumped off the swing and walked away. His direction was, of course, Tsuna's old home.

"You're an odd boy Tsunayoshi," Reborn said without looking back.

"You wouldn't know the half of it," Tsuna said so low that only he could hear.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 – Trouble in Cloud Nine**

* * *

"Wake up Tezu-baka," Reborn said as he pulled the covers from Tezuka's sleepy form. The boy was still asleep. "You don't ever learn do you?" Reborn transformed Leon into a large hammer. With one good heave he smashed it down next to Tezuka's head. That did the job alright.

"I'm awake, I'm awake! Please don't kill me Reborn-sensei!" Tezuka immediately stood, bowed and went as fast as he could to the bathroom to freshen up for school.

Reborn frowned at Tezuka's formality with him. He remembered the day that he and Tezuka had met very clearly.

"_I'm going to be your new home tutor, my name is Reborn, the number one hitman of the world," he said giving a smile._

_"What are you doing here kid? Get out, I don't play with little children," Tezuka sneered._

"_I'm the tutor that your father, Sawada Iemitsu has sent to train you to be the next boss of the Vongola Famiglia," when Reborn said that, the annoyance all but drained from the young blonde's face._

_Reborn understood from Iemitsu that Tezuka was aware of his heritage and what was in store for him in the future. It made him happy that Tezuka chose to bow and say, "I'm very sorry Reborn-sensei, I didn't know!" But there was something in those blue eyes that made Reborn scoff. _

_Deceit._

_That was it. Tezuka was acting very natural before he announced that he would train him to be the next Vongola boss, but now had an almost mechanical way of speaking, trying to sound perfect. Well, Reborn needed to get to know the boy better before he made his first assessment. _

If only he knew how Tezuka was three months ago, he may have made a phone call to the homeland and told Nono what a person Tezuka really was. Now it was far too late for that.

Tezuka made friends with Gokudera, Yamamato and even with Sasagawa Ryohei. All three were excellent future guardians. He could only hope that Tezuka would grow into an excellent boss as well.

Tezuka listened to his every word, changed how he behaved around his future guardians, and even smiled more, but all that didn't make Reborn feel any easier. Somehow, whenever he advised Tezuka, he would get the vibe that the blond only nodded but never truly listened. Reborn had met many men with same such qualities in the past; all were rotting in the ground and their Famiglia were wretched for eternity. He wondered if that was the future for Vongola with Tezuka as its head.

Reborn wasn't a quitter though; he would stick out the promised three years with Tezuka. If he could manage to change the boy by then, something he hoped for, then all would be well. If not...Well, he'd deal with it by then.

"I'm going to eat your breakfast if you're not downstairs in five minutes," he said before descending the stairs.

Five minutes later breakfast was served. Iemitsu sat at the head of the table with Tezuka to one side and Reborn to the other. Iemitsu insisted that Reborn take the seat at the head of the table, but Reborn declined. Iemitsu was the head of the Sawada family after all

A feeling crept up as he looked over the table towards Tezuka. He couldn't help but think that the seat should be occupied by someone cheerful and happy, someone who was honest and just, someone completely different from Tezuka.

For some strange reason the image of Abel Tsunayoshi appeared in his mind. Tezuka never asked him for advice, but Tsuna did on that cold night three months ago. It felt good to give advice to the boy who seemed too familiar.

"Something wrong Reborn?" Iemitsu asked before he continued eating his eggs.

"No, nothing," he answered.

{Trouble in Cloud Nine}

"Senpai."

"Senpai."

"Oi Senpai!"

"SENPAIIII!"

"WHAT!?" Tsuna yelled back as he looked at Fran while feeling the need to choke him.

"You've been in your room all day for the past two weeks, let's go outside and throw water balloons at toddlers or something," Fran said bored as he walked further into Tsuna's workroom.

Tsuna's workroom looked like a laboratory and office at the say time. One side consisted of metal and white, the other looked like any other normal office. Fran wondered if his senpai suffered from schizophrenia considering the weird interior of the room.

"I've been working on something very important for the Famiglia. It's not like we can just conjure up the Vongola Rings, so in the meantime I've been doing this," Tsuna said as he removed his lab coat and threw it on a chair to his right.

Fran walked towards Tsuna.

"You're working on a gun?" Fran said as he eyed the weird colored weapon. It looked like a normal Glock model handgun save for its color deviating from the normal black and gray,"I never knew you liked purple senpai."

Tsuna groaned, "I never said I did, and for your information I don't really care Fran. I want to change the color but the stupid thing doesn't want to react with the dye molecules that I've added, look," he said as he took the purple gun by its grip before putting it carefully into a wide beaker. He then pulled out a vial filled with dark substance out of a cabinet below him, "this is concentrated nitrogen with a specially added base group which to date is the strongest coloring substance of the entire world, Baron acquired it for me in its rarest state. If you get this on your hands, you'll never be able to remove it," Tsuna was wearing plastic gloves, "look," Tsuna poured the contents of the vial into the large glass beaker.

Fran watched as the substance engulfed the purple gun. A moment later Tsuna pulled out the gun with metal pincers. The pincers colored dark blue while the gun was unaffected. It was still purple. Tsuna washed the gun with cleansing water before putting it on the metal lab table.

"So it's not a normal gun?" Fran asked lazily.

"No, this gun is capable of things that interest Baron very much."

"What does it do?" He asked curiously.

Tsuna looked with scrutinizing eyes at the gun, "it defies the laws of the world," and then he held the gun in front of his eyes before locking it into a save under the lab table.

"You're not going to give it to Baron are you senpai?"

"No," Tsuna answered as he removed the gloves from his hands before throwing them into a nearby trash bin. Tsuna then looked towards Fran with a small smile, "let's get going Fran, we need to look into something at the school."

"Hai senpai," Fran said as Tsuna left without closing the door. Fran looked back to the small vault under the lab table. Fran was very curious, but he would never betray his senpai.

{Trouble in Cloud Nine}

The school was closed, which wasn't a surprise considering that it was seven p.m. The gates of the school were closed as well, but that wouldn't stop Tsuna.

"Lend me a hand Fran," Fran nodded before making a cuff with both his hands. Tsuna put one foot on it and then propelled himself upwards on top of the school's outside walls. Tsuna then lowered his hand to pull Fran up. Both of them were on the other side of the wall a moment later. When they turned to look at the school, someone's shadow formed on the ground.

"It isn't allowed to walk on school grounds at this time herbivores," Hibari had apparently waited for them. He had his tonfas out, "I will bite you both to death," Hibari walked forward arching his weapons. Tsuna wondered how Hibari knew they were coming. It was irrelevant now though.

"Hold on Hibari-san, we've just forgotten our school bags," the school prefect didn't seem to listen, he had bloodlust in his eyes.

The nightly visit to Namimori Middle School was very important. Logically speaking it would be unwise to fend off Hibari considering the Triad, but Tsuna and Fran needed the information that was stored in the school's storage servers. Their Famiglia's hacker with codename _Lollypop had _said that he could only provide them with the information regarding the Vongola Rings at eight p.m. Lollypop also said something about the Vongola's computer tech department having improved the school's security for an unknown reason; otherwise he would have just sent the information straight to Tsuna and Fran over their Famiglia's private network.

So Tsuna had no choice. "Hibari-san, we'll get our bags really quickly, will you just please let us through?"

"No, prepare to be bitten to death," Hibari was seconds away from Fran and Tsuna.

"Fran, get to the school and transfer the data on the hard drive that I've given you, I'll keep Hibari distracted."

"You sure senpai? I can help you know," Fran said lazily.

"Just go!" Tsuna said too harshly, but he knew that Fran wouldn't take it personally as they knew each other for far too long and understood when one meant something and didn't.

"Hai senpai," Fran ran towards the school, but looked at Hibari when passing him, "if you hurt senpai, I'll eat your skull."

"What makes you think I'll let you pass little herbivore?" Hibari ran with incredible speed towards Fran, raised one of his tonfa and slammed it down.

"Bad idea," Tsuna appeared in front of Hibari and caught the tonfa with his black knuckle brasses. Sparks flew as Tsuna punched Hibari's tonfa aside. An opening appeared, so Tsuna punched with his other hand, only to be blocked with Hibari's other tonfa. Hibari seemed to get more excited as they shared blows.

"For a herbivore you're interesting Abel Tsunayoshi," Hibari said as he ducked to evade a punch.

"Are you ready to stop now Hibari-san?" Tsuna asked as he jumped back, just in time to dodge a swipe.

"Don't think so herbivore," Hibari ran straight towards Tsuna.

Tsuna wanted to jump aside and try to give a hook, but suddenly his Hyper Intuition made him look to his right. There were thugs trying to get into the school. They wore hoodies.

Hibari noticed Tsuna not paying any attention to the fight anymore, when he realized why, he turned and grew very angry. "Herbivores!" He yelled to the ten newcomers, "Namimori Middle School is closed, I will bite you all to death for breaking the rules," his tone was deadly.

"Oh look Zani-san, it's the leader of the Disciplinary Committee," one of the thugs said to the albino with bandages on his face.

"He's no match for all of us," the albino smiled evilly as put on silver brasses on his knuckles while his crony friends held out metal bars, knives and all sorts of street weapons.

"Herbivore, it would be wise of you to be gone when I return from biting those delinquents to death," Hibari looked more annoyed and furious than before as he flicked his tonfas and walked towards the gang of ten.

Tsuna chose to stay and watch the fight. Fran should be retrieving the data right about now.

Five minutes later all ten, including the albino, Zani, who wanted to beat up Tsuna a few months back, lay in a pile with bruises and broken ribs.

"Still here Abel?" Hibari said as he smirked before standing in front of Tsuna.

"Correct, I wanted to see how you would fare against a gang with weapons. You seemed to have it all under control though."

"Most students are afraid to be bitten to death, why are you still here Abel?"

Tsuna wanted to smile, but held it in considering the person he was facing right, "how could I fear such a sweet and kind person like you Hibari-san?" Hibari scowled and flicked his tonfas again, ready to strike Tsuna. Tsuna sensed Fran waiting for him against the same wall that they used to hop over to the school's courtyard. Just as he was about to run towards the same wall, his Hyper Intuition flared again. He widened his eyes when he noticed a gun held against the back of Hibari's head. Hibari tensed only very slightly.

"Not so tough now are you, you bastard," Zani said as he spat out blood.

"Herbivore, have you not been bitten to death enough?" Hibari answered coldly. Tsuna noticed the prefect's body edging to duck and lash out. His Hyper Intuition told him that if Hibari did so, things would end badly.

Tsuna would have a hard time living if Hibari got injured, or worse, died, because he was distracted by him. He mentally sighed in frustration. He really didn't want to use his flames, but he had no choice, **"Fiamma," **Tsuna whispered as he shimmered away in bright and orange flames. Both Hibari and Zani flinched, the latter's eyes rolled back into his skull a second later.

"Where did you go Abel?" Hibari asked as he looked around at the empty courtyard save for the unconscious delinquents. Was it him, or did Abel Tsunayoshi have orange colored eyes?


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry for being late with the update everyone.

I was stuck in an alternate dimension that wouldn't let me out unless I completed its trials. I didn't get the thing I wanted at the end though *cry*, but hopefully I will the next time I get sucked in.

This chapter is a little bit shorter than usual, so the next one should be longer. Thanks for all the support everyone! Also, some of you are speculating what might happen or what might not. I'll keep it a pleasant surprise *wink*.

Title is from a song by the band Rascal Flatts.

* * *

**Chapter 6 - What hurts the most  
**

* * *

Tsuna yawned and looked up. The ceiling was white and clear. Last night was bothersome to him. He didn't really want to use his Dying Will Flames, but if he hadn't, Hibari would have been critically injured.

Truthfully he didn't really care about the Triad or what they would have done if Hibari died. Baron would fix things like he always did for Tsuna, and for Tsuna only. No one else in the Famiglia had the same privilege. "If only they knew why," Tsuna thought somberly.

Tsuna didn't care for the Triad, but he hated it when people died. It was his weakness and bane. Tsuna had killed before, but each and every time he felt a little bit of his Dying Will Flames scratch at his chest. Maybe that was the reason that his chest looked like one similar to a tortured man?

Still, even if Hibari died, his flames wouldn't have scratched his chest. He didn't save Hibari because he feared his Dying Will Flames, he saved Hibari because Hibari had sad eyes, eyes almost as sad as his own. Sure, the school prefect wouldn't show it to anyone, but Tsuna could see right through most people. Hibari wasn't a bad person.

He gazed at the empty ceiling, just as Tsuna liked it. It reflected how his heart sometimes looked like.

"_Mom likes me better you idiot," Tezuka yelled in their shared room._

"_She loves us both Tezuka, stop being so mean!" Tsuna cried with hurt in his voice._

"_Ha," his brother stood, "tell that to your imaginary friends, mom always leaves you behind and takes me to the playground," Tezuka opened the door, slammed it and left Tsuna crying._

When was it that Tsuna's chest stopped aching at that memory? He didn't feel anything actually, just hollow.

"So are you done decoding the files Shoichi-san?" Tsuna asked as he yawned again from his position on the black colored couch.

"You can just call me Shoichi, Tsunayoshi," Shoichi said as he didn't remove his gaze from a laptop in front of him. A thin cable attached a small hard drive to the laptop. Shoichi was typing away, hundreds of letters per second if Tsuna could hear correctly.

"Well, stop calling me by my full name then Shoichi-_san," _he made emphasis on the suffix as he stretched and sat straight on the couch.

It was only two weeks ago since they had met Irie Shoichi. Shoichi lived in the same apartment as they did.

"_Senpai, hurry up, I want to eat," Fran said as he waited impatiently next to their apartment building._

_Tsuna sighed, "if you didn't' eat so much, we wouldn't have to go to the grocery store today, or wait in that endless line to pay for our groceries," Fran stuck out his tongue, "do that again and I might decide not to make you any dinner tonight," Tsuna was tired from working in the laboratory all day, if Fran didn't beg him to go to the grocery store with him to help buy 'whatever ingredients you need to make your delicious meals senpai', he would have probably stayed in the lab to continue his work on the weird gun that Baron stole from the Bovino family. Fran was horrible with lists, so knowing him, he probably would have forgotten to buy half the supplies Tsuna needed to make dinner for tonight._

"_Senpai, I didn't mean it," the eleven year old said as he looked at Tsuna with puppy dog eyes._

"_Fine," Tsuna was no match for Fran's 'look at my cuteness' eyes. _

_Just as Tsuna was about to open the building's front door while Fran held the grocery supplies in a large bag, something slammed into Tsuna making him fall._

"_Ouch, what was that?" Tsuna asked surprised. _

"_I'm really sorry, please don't hurt me!" A boy with red hair and glasses said in panic as he bowed repeatedly in apology._

That was how he met Irie Shoichi. It wasn't until he invited the boy in and left him in the living room with Fran to get them something to drink, that he discovered a remarkable skill that Shoichi had.

He was a genius in anything to do with technology.

_Tsuna came back with enough drinks for the three of them when he noticed Shoichi working on Tsuna's broken phone. Tsuna left the phone on the living room table before going to the kitchen._

"_Here you go Tsunayoshi-san, as good as new," Shoichi said before he bowed again as Tsuna looked at his previously broken phone, "I'm sorry for breaking it earlier when I made you fall!" _

Later on Tsuna and Fran would discover how incredible Shoichi was with programming and hacking.

Lollypop had encrypted the data that Fran managed to get from the school. Instead of waiting for Lollypop to give the decryption key, which could take at least a day because of Lollypop's other responsibilities in the Famiglia, Tsuna gave Shoichi a call. Ten minutes later Shoichi knocked on their door and five minutes later Shoichi was breaking down each and every firewall that Lollypop had set.

"Now I'm done Tsuna," Tsuna was both happy that Shoichi finally called him Tsuna and that the data was accessible.

"Good job Shoichi," the redhead beamed at that, "now scoop," Tsuna nudged the boy aside and set his eyes on the screen.

There were many files. Schedules for students and teachers, student/teacher personal information such as address and phone number, student/teacher history , birth certificates, grades, budgets, members of the board and much more. Lollypop outdid himself this time, but what Tsuna was really looking for was stored in a folder called 'Vongola Japan'. He clicked on it and saw other folders and files appear.

He looked around, frowning sometimes. There were copies of letters sent between the Ninth boss of Vongola, Timoteo and Reborn, even ones between his father and Timoteo. He opened one that was sent just after Tsuna had _died_.

_October 22, 2002_

_Dear Iemitsu,_

_I send my grievance for your son's death once again. I can only tell you to stay strong one father to another._

_I know that you don't want to come back to lead the CEDEF again, but I ask you to reconsider. Lal Mirch is threatening to go to Japan and drag you back to your office. Oregano approves of her actions and wants to join in. Turmeric is adjusting to his new position in CEDEF, but still wants you back._

_I hope to hear from you soon._

_Yours faithfully,_

_Timoteo _

Tsuna widened his eyes in shock. He knew that Iemitsu lived in Japan since Tsuna had left, but to actually leave CEDEF completely? He didn't believe it. How could a man that only visited every three years actually care enough about a son dying?

He opened the next file.

_October 26, 2002_

_Dear Nono,_

_Thank you for your soothing words._

_With Tsuna away, I don't know how much longer I can stay sane. He was so young. Sometimes when I open the boy's bedroom, no, Tezuka's bedroom, I see Tsuna sleeping in his bed. But he's never going to sleep in that bed again. I won't have that room completely empty._

_Tezuka and Nana are my top priority. I will die protecting them if I have to. _

_The rest of CEDEF won't be bothering you anymore. I've sent them all a message. Lal Mirch will probably protest, but she won't come after me anymore._

_Yours dearly,_

_Sawada Iemitsu_

"Impossible," Tsuna gaped at his father's words.

"Senpai?" Fran looked at him curiously over the white table in the living room. Shoichi sat beside him quietly. Tsuna chose to ignore them as he saw more files that he wanted to read.

It was a while later, Fran gone to his own room and Shoichi having already left for dinner with his mother and sister, that Tsuna breathed more easily.

He finished reading all letters between his father and Timoteo, and even to this day his father, to his surprise, was still mourning Tsuna. He was mentioned less and less in each letter, until only once every few years. The last one was this year, about two weeks before his arrival.

_August 27, 2010_

_Dear Nono,_

_It's almost eight years since Tsuna died. In two weeks he would have been sitting in class with his brother, but it wasn't meant to be. I have a large scar in my heart that's healed, but it's still there. Only Tsuna can heal that scar, but Tsuna-fish isn't here anymore._

_You asked me how Nana and Tezuka are doing. Nana is still in the hospital. Ever since Tsuna died she hasn't been herself. Maybe if I saw how depressed she became a few years after Tsuna's death, I would have been able to help._

_Tezuka is his usual self. He never shows being sad about his brother or mother, he never talks about his brother either. We made the right decision when we named him your successor. A boss who doesn't waver is better for the Famiglia. _

_How is Xanxus doing? I know that you released him from his punishment after the 'Crib' incident a year ago. You made him Varia's leader, so maybe that has cooled down his anger. I still don't know why he's so angry most of the time. You don't suppose that he knows?_

_In any case, take care of yourself Nono, you're not getting any younger you know._

_Yours dearly,_

_Sawada Iemitsu_

Tsuna cursed. This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't supposed to happen at all. His father was supposed to be the jerk who never cared about his family. And his mother was supposed to be the devoid and emotionless woman towards Tsuna. Instead his father cared for him after all, and his mother…His mother was hospitalized.

He wanted to close the laptop and take a long walk in the park, but then he noticed a folder on the screen that caught his interest. He opened it and saw many files. One file made him widen his eyes in disbelief when he opened it.

"No way," he whispered shocked.


	7. Chapter 7

I love you all.

Title is from a song by the band Simple Plan.

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Save You**

* * *

Tsuna gasped for breath. He couldn't believe what he was reading.

_File: 10500  
Student: Yamamato Takeshi  
Date: 01 august, 2010_

_Yamamato has tried to take his life by jumping from the roof above classroom 3C. Earlier this week he has broken his arm in a baseball match. That may have driven him to attempt suicide. _

_Another student, Sawada Tezuka, has saved him by talking to him on the roof. Tezuka has received a medal from the Dean for his deed._

_Lollypop: Taichou, the baseball match was filmed. I've edited out most part of the file until the point where Yamamato injures his arm. I've rendered it down so you can actually see what happened, and it wasn't an accident._

Tsuna found the edited recording of the baseball match. He opened it.

Yamamato just slammed the baseball away, clearly making a homerun, when he began running towards each base. He almost made it to the fourth and last base when midway to his destination he yelped in pain as he tripped and fell. If the recording wasn't edited, it would have just looked like Yamamato slipped on the ground, but Lollypop had slowed the recording down. Tsuna's jaw dropped when he saw it.

A small rock too fast for spectator's eyes to see flew towards the ground in front of Yamamato. Yamamato slipped on the rock, not on the ground. Seconds later Yamamato yelled in pain as he clutched at his right arm.

The rock came from the tribunes. Lollypop had edited the recording so that it zoomed into the person who had thrown it. "You bastard," Tsuna whispered.

It was Tezuka.

{Save You}

It was around midnight. Tsuna sat at the table in the kitchen. He had a glass filled with concentrated fruits, colored the same as wine. Baron had told him that his first alcoholic beverage would be with him alone, and not just yet. Until then Tsuna could do with the strong fruit drinks that made your mind go numb ever so slightly.

Tsuna drank and drank.

Footsteps echoed from his left. Fran looked sleepy in his frog pajamas. "Go to sleep senpai," he yawned and sat in the chair opposite to him.

"Says the one who is awake," Tsuna smiled sadly at him.

"You know I can't sleep if you're worried," Fran said as he took a glass from the center of the table and poured some fruit juice for himself. He gulped it down in one tug. He wiped the redness from his cheeks with the sleeve of his pajamas. Tsuna would probably need to put them in the washing machine tomorrow.

"You've read the files too Fran, it makes my skin crawl," Tsuna said as he took a sip from his juice.

"What? Why do you even care senpai? They are not your family. I am your family, just like Lulaby, Lollypop and Baron," Fran filled his glass again.

"That's not it Fran. You know me better than that. Don't ever question my loyalty to the Famiglia," Tsuna said with his 'and it won't ever change' gaze. Fran smiled at that.

"I know, just testing," Fran gulped down the next fill. "But you're right though senpai, disturbing things are happening here in Namimori," Fran looked sharply, and he rarely looked like that, "Sawada Tezuka is a threat, but he's not our threat. Let the Vongola deal with him. We'll steal the rings from them when they arrive in Japan and leave for Italy the next morning. We could probably even take Reborn if we combined our strength. They have no chance."

"Now that's where you're wrong Fran," Tsuna said frowning, "Reborn is at least twenty times stronger than the both of us combined, he might even be stronger than Baron," he paused when he saw the shocked expression of Fran, "what did you think? He's the most powerful of the I Prescelti Sette, we have a flee on sight order if we ever encounter Fon or Reborn, remember?" Fran looked like he wanted to protest, but he sighed instead.

"Well whatever, I'm gonna take a nap here seeing as you have a thing against sleeping, wake me in the morning," Fran buried his head in his arms and slept almost instantly. Tsuna smiled, only Fran could understand him completely. He wasn't planning on sleeping tonight.

How could he? Tezuka was a sociopath, his father was probably drinking himself to sleep and his mother was in the hospital undergoing God knows what psychological treatment. He would need to pay a visit to that woman in the future. But not today for more than one reason.

The most important reason was that Fran and he had to pay a visit to Kokuyo Middle School next week. He didn't need to his Hyper Intuition to realize that things could get bloody. The files that Lollypop had sent them urged them to check out Kokuyo, so they would.

But deep down inside Tsuna knew that the reason that he hadn´t rushed to the hospital when he had read the letter from his father to Timoteo, was that he hated Sawada Nana.

And it hurt and ached in his chest to know that.

{Save You}

Tsuna sat down on his chair and looked at his father scribbling down today's assignments on the chalkboard. "Are you thinking about me even now?" He wondered as his father turned and faced the class.

"We're still rusty on Shakespeare, aren't we class?" The class groaned in unison, save for a few individuals. Kyoko and Hana smiled. Fran continued his nap on his table like always. His father never said anything to Fran about it. Actually, none of the teachers did. Tsuna blamed it on the fact that the teachers were too lazy, because Gokudera could stomp out the class whenever he wanted. That happened often as of late.

Just like today, except that Gokudera, Yamamato and Tezuka didn't show up at all. "Probably Reborn torturing them," Tsuna thought solemnly. For a person looking like a three year old in a mafia suit, Reborn was scary beyond words. Tsuna would feel sorry for his brother, but his brother deserved it. Bangs of hair covered his eyes as he remembered Tezuka's awful deeds. There was a whole arsenal of things that his brother had done, and breaking Yamamato's arm wasn't even the worst. "How could you do that to someone's father? You really are a monster, aren't you Tezuka? I'll be glad when I leave, let the Vongola solve their own problems," his thoughts were broken when his father waved in front of his eyes.

"Earth to Abel," his father never called him Tsuna or Tsunayoshi, "I asked you a question, do you want to get sent out of classroom?" His father asked jokingly.

Tsuna feigned being sorry, "sorry sensei, I was thinking of my home back in Italy," his father never could see through his lies, too blinded by the image of his dead son, "so what's the question?" Kyoko stopped herself from laughing, Hana shook her head, and Fran, Fran just continued sleeping.

His father repeated the question as he had a finger pointed in a book that he held in his hands, "when Brutus killed his brother in the tournament in Nottingham Palace, what did Brutus's father do to punish his son? And explain the moral of the poem as well Abel."

Tsuna paused, he remembered this poem very well; it was one of the lesser known poems of Shakespeare. He looked at his father and concluded that his father wasn't testing his true identity. Tsuna could see through most people's eyes after all.

He scraped his throat, and then said, "his father gave Brutus a prize, guards to protect him and a big castle where he and his wife could live until the end of his live, his children's lives and their children's lives," Tsuna paused, "what Brutus's father didn't know was that it was his other son, Geron, who died in the tournament, because the tournament was one where each contestant needed to be masked with a helmet that symbolized an animal. Geron was disguised as a lion when he faced Brutus. Brutus knew that it was Geron that he was facing, but still killed his own brother," maybe Tsuna put too much emotion in his explanation, because Kyoko, Hana, Fran and the rest of the class including his father were listening carefully to him, the classroom being dead silent.

"Later when his father found out about Brutus's treacherous deed, he took his own life by jumping from the highest tower in his son's new castle, forever cursing it. It is said that his spirit still wanders Brutus's castle, searching for his lost son Geron for eternity."

His father was silent, waiting for Tsuna to explain the poem, "the poem tells a sad tale about family and love. You would think that a father would know both his sons enough to feel in his heart when one of them breathes his last breath. But Brutus's father didn't," Tsuna looked his own father dead in the eye, "the moral of the story is that you can never know if someone truly loves you, that is, until it is far too late," the bell rang, but most students ignored it as they were fastened to their seats looking at Tsuna and their English teacher.

"You'll definitely get an A like you always do Abel, well done," his father said as he turned, "class dismissed, get out of here guys," his father smiled a fake smile.

{Save You}

"Tsuna-san!" A girl's voice shouted from behind him.

"Hi Kyoko-san," Tsuna said surprised as he looked at the panting girl. She had probably run from her last class to the hall where Fran and Tsuna were discussing Kokuyo Middle School.

"So what happened to," she stood, "what happened to Brutus in the end?" Kyoko blushed while she asked this.

"Yeah, you can't just let us hanging like that, especially not when it's about a poem by Shakespeare." Hana calmly walked next to Kyoko.

"Senpai doesn't have to answer if he doesn't want to," Fran said protectively as he stepped in between Tsuna and the girls. Kyoko and Hana both laughed warmly. The girls adored Fran. Fran was very smart, because he skipped a few classes to get in the same class as they. Hana appreciated Fran's intellect, even though he never really showed it, and Kyoko thought that Fran was cute for staying almost glued to Tsuna most of the times.

"I'll answer the question Fran, common, Hana-san and Kyoko-san are our friends," Tsuna smiled.

"What happened to Brutus you ask?" Tsuna stepped to a nearby window and looked outside. It was raining hard. Tsuna turned his head and smiled sadly at the three, "he lived happily ever after."

{Save You}

The next day, during math class, Tezuka, Gokudera and Yamamato were back. Fran noticed all were bruised. Gokudera had a bandage around his right arm, Yamamato had one around his forehead and Tezuka had both his hands bandaged. "Senpai," Fran said as he yawned, "don't they look happy."

"Something must have happened," Tsuna replied, "something tells me it might have to do with Kokuyo and all the recent hospitalized students," news had grown that students were being attacked when they were on the road to home, or dragged into alleys and beaten when they were out with friends in Namimori shopping district. The data from Lollypop described a recent outbreak of prisoners from the Vindice Prison. Tsuna prayed that none of the prisoners were in Namimori. The Vindice were ruthless, and anyone getting in their way were done for.

Some of the students in the class gasped as someone entered the room. It was one of the Disciplinary Committee members, and not just anyone, it was the second in command, Kusakabe Tetsuya.

The tall student with a regent hairstyle walked further into the class, entirely ignoring the old math teacher, who like always, had his nose buried deep in a book. Tetsuya stopped in front of Tsuna's table.

Fran looked up to Tetsuya, ready to jump in. Tsuna didn't need it, but he felt happy to be friends with someone as protective as Fran, even though it was annoying sometimes.

"Abel Tsunayoshi?" Tetsuya asked as he frowned.

Tsuna looked back, "that would be me," he answered.

"Your presence is requested by the captain of the Namimori Disciplinary Committee, follow me," Tetsuya didn't leave Tsuna any room to argue or answer. Almost all the students in the class, including his brother Tezuka, were looking at Tsuna as if he was being sentenced to death, Tezuka being the only one happy about it as he smiled.

"I'm coming too Kusa-chan," Fran said. Tetsuya turned but didn't say anything. A silent moment passed, but Tetsuya nodded in the end.

The three of them walked the halls of Namimori Middle School in silence. There wasn't any hostility in Tetsuya's voice when he asked for Tsuna's presence, but then again, he doubted that Tetsuya would reveal the reason behind Tsuna's invitation to meet with Hibari.

Five minutes later Tetsuya knocked on the door of the disciplinary Committee's room before opening it, and entering with Tsuna and Fran. Ten faces with similar hairstyles as Tetsuya all turned to the two newcomers. The one at the farthest end of the room, behind the wooden desk, eyed Tsuna without emotion.

"Out," Hibari ordered, everyone except Tetsuya, Tsuna and Fran left the room. Hibari stood and moved towards the three newcomers.

"Are you going to bite us to death Hi-chan?" Fran asked with a puzzled look. Tsuna was surprised that Hibari hadn't attacked Fran yet, but the prefect seemed to restrain himself as he ignored Fran.

Hibari eyed Tsuna and said, "I want you to join the Disciplinary Committee."

"Huh?" Tsuna asked surprised. He thought that the prefect wanted to finish their previous fight. "Why?"

Hibari seemed to have a hard time speaking, like he didn't enjoy it at all, "I despise having debts, Abel," Hibari raised a tonfa that he conjured up out of nowhere, "join, or I'll bite you to death."

"So he feels like he owes me a debt for saving his life back then," Tsuna thought amazed that the usual strict prefect felt that way.

Fran eyed Tsuna from the corner of his eyes. The both of them couldn't join any movement or group, Baron would go nuts.

Tsuna didn't want to fight Hibari again, there had to be something he could do to not insult Hibari by declining the offer and not getting bitten to death at the same time. Suddenly he knew what, "how about I'll accept your offer, but not right now, I have things that I need to do first," Tsuna eyed the prefect with a serious look, to show that he meant it.

Tsuna didn't expect the prefect to accept his terms, but when Hibari nodded, Tsuna sighed in relief. "If I'm joining, Fran is joining too, otherwise no deal," Tsuna said firmly. Hibari nodded again, albeit with strain.

"The herbivore may join as well," Hibari said.

"But Hibari-san, Fran is only ten an-"

"Silence vice-captain."

And finally Tsuna got it. To Hibari it was a big deal for owing any kind of debt, be it being a debt of fitfully biting someone to death, or returning a favor for someone that saved his life. Hibari would make a great mafia member, Tsuna thought.

"But I'll never let you Hibari-san, the mafia world is a dangerous place, and especially for people like you and I," Tsuna thought as he and Fran left the Disciplinary Committee's headquarters.

{Save You}

"So can I help with anything?" Shoichi asked Fran and Tsuna as they packed supplies for their new mission.

Tsuna closed his bag, put it over his shoulder and walked to Shoichi. He put his hands on the redhead's shoulders and smiled, "what? And get you hurt? You're our precious technician here in Namimori, losing you is like losing half our fire power, besides," Tsuna said as he and Fran walked towards the apartment's door, "I would probably lose it if you got hurt."

"He means it Sho-chan," Fran said as he followed Tsuna out the door, "take care of the apartment and don't worry too much, we got this under control," he said lazily as Shoichi waved goodbye to them.

"You do realize that Tezuka and his friends will be at Kokuyo too, right senpai?"

"I know Fran, but that's exactly why we need to stop Rokudo Mukuro," Tsuna said as he and Fran walked into the forest that had a secret path from Namimori straight to Kokuyo, "if that brother of mine," Tsuna shuddered, "gets killed, the rings won't arrive in Namimori," but that wasn't the real reason that Tsuna began speeding up towards their destination.

Something crept up into his mind, something that told him that he needed to get to Kokuyo as soon as possible.


	8. Chapter 8

I loved reading all the comments, thank you.

I've read a few Reborn stories with the same theme as my story, but I hope to make mine as unique as possible and have a fitting ending. I don't want it to land in a one year break or something like some stories do. I can't make promises of course, but I'll definitely try to keep updating on a regular pace.

* * *

**Chapter 8 – The Loyal Snake and the Broken Rain**

* * *

The old man with the birds called 'Birds' was holding Kyoko, Hana and Haru hostage. The big monitor behind Birds showed Kyoko and Hana sitting in a park bench. Haru was listening to music with earphones on while she walked through Namimori shopping district. Behind each of them a zombie like creature eyed them creepily. Both monsters looked like each other and had long sharp nails.

"Let them go you bastard," Tezuka yelled as he made a fist.

"Real men don't kidnap girls," Bianchi added as she looked angry. Her eyes were hidden by an eye mask with orange glasses in them.

Reborn was happy that he didn't need to worry. Shamal had everything under control.

"Coward," Gokudera said as he kicked the old man straight in the face after Shamal, I-pin and Adult Lambo saved the girls.

Reborn turned his head to the thick forest behind him. He felt something, someone running past.

"What's wrong Reborn-sensei?" Tezuka asked.

"Nothing, let's move on."

{The Loyal Snake and the Broken Rain}

"Do you think they noticed us senpai?" Fran asked as both of them ran through the forest near Kokuyo Middle School.

"Only Reborn."

"Shouldn't we be worried then?"

"No, he doesn't know it's us," even if Reborn sensed someone running past, he couldn't possibly know it was Tsuna and Fran. Tsuna was fairly sure that Reborn could sense Dying Will Flames, so both he and Fran lowered theirs to unnoticeable proportions.

"Someone's up ahead senpai," Fran said, his expression was serious.

Fran was right. They entered a clearing with a stone floor and table where a man stood. He wore dark pants and a green long sleeve shirt that looked like one prisoners wore. This particular shirt looked like one from the Vindice Prison. He had a steel chain in his hand that led to a gigantic steel ball. The object had snake symbols engraved around it.

"Good afternoon Snake-chan, you seem angry," Fran said as he waved to the man. The man seemed unfazed.

"You're heading the wrong way, turn around, or else," the big man said.

Fran looked at Tsuna, "what should we do senpai?"

"I'll fight him," Tsuna said with such conviction that Fran nodded before stepping aside.

"You're pretty brave for thinking that you can fight me kid," the big man said. Tsuna noticed that there was something off, something that didn't fit the image that the man was showing. The man looked like he wanted Tsuna to admit defeat and just leave. His eyes screamed for Tsuna to leave.

"I don't like to fight," Tsuna said after noticing the man's pained expression, " you don't suppose there is a way that we can talk this out?" Tsuna asked hopefully.

Though he could clearly see through the man's façade, Tsuna realized the man would not budge, so he put on his brass knuckles.

"You should be worried Snake-chan, senpai is in a hurry," Fran added as he sat on the ground. He produced a bento box out of nowhere where he ate sweets from. Fran usually did that when he wanted time to fly by, or calm his nerves. Fran couldn't help but want to step in and protect his senpai.

A feeling in the back of his head told Tsuna to ask the question that he really needed and answer to, "who are you?"

"My name?" The big man seemed confused. Then he looked into Tsuna's nut-brown eyes, "my name is Rokudo Mukuro," and then Tsuna knew where the feeling came from.

The man was lying. Fran realized it too, but that wasn't surprising because Fran had a particular type of Dying Will Flame.

"I see," Tsuna said sharply as he stepped forward.

The man's eyes spoke "please step back, I don't want to hurt you," but instead the man said, "you need to learn how to listen to your elders," _Rokudo Mukuro_ said as he twirled his metal ball around until it shook above his head. Mukuro then threw the ball in a straight line towards Tsuna. "Dying so young, how sad," Mukuro whispered when the ball smashed into Tsuna.

Mukuro's eyes widened in shock a moment later, "impossible."

Tsuna grunted as he held both hands out. He used his flames to slowly stop the metal ball in its trajectory. Smoke went into the air from Tsuna's brass knuckles. Tsuna let the ball drop down on the ground and looked at the shocked Mukuro.

"I know who you really are," Tsuna said suddenly, "and you're not Rokudo Mukuro."

Fran chose to stand and walk to Tsuna, "your name is Lancia, from the Serenita Famiglia in Northern Italy," Fran said with narrowed eyes. The Serenita Famiglia was an allied Famiglia to Tsuna and Fran's Famiglia. They were wiped out years ago.

"How did you know?" Lancia asked shocked.

"You are known to as The Strongest Man in Northern Italy, I wouldn't forget such a name," Tsuna paused, "and not to mention look your name up." Lancia seemed to understand how Tsuna and Fran knew him. Lancia realized that Tsuna and Fran must be from a Famiglia back in Italy, he just didn't know which one. By the looks of the brunette, he probably wouldn't answer either.

Tsuna frowned when the man fidgeted around like he was possessed. Lancia then began to laugh, "you think I'll spare you because you know me?" Lancia reeled back his weapon.

"I thought the Serenita Famiglia was a fair Mafia Famiglia, maybe I was wrong," when Tsuna said that, Lancia's angry face fell.

"He killed them all," it was so low that Tsuna needed to listen very carefully. The voice sounded broken, almost as broken as Tsuna felt when he died all those years ago, almost as broken as Tsuna felt when his father spoke about him on that rainy day when they had buried Tsuna into the ground.

"Who killed your Famiglia?" Tsuna asked, but he already knew the answer.

"Rokudo Mukuro."

Tsuna had heard about what happened to the Serenita Famiglia, but he didn't know that it was Rokudo Mukuro who had done it.

"Lancia-chan, let us pass and we'll deal with Mukuro," Fran said, "we won't kill him, but we'll let you go, I know that Mukuro has a spell bound on you."

"No, never!" And suddenly all the rage came back to Lancia.

Fran wanted to take action, but a gust of wind to his left stopped him. Tsuna appeared behind Lancia, "sorry for this," and with a single chop aimed towards the back of Lancia's head, Tsuna made the large man fall to the ground. His eyes were about to close, but Tsuna said, "anger is a darkness that haunts us all Lancia-san, don't let the image of your precious Famiglia be tarnished because of someone like Rokudo Mukuro," recognition filled Lancia's eyes before he became unconscious.

Tsuna looked at Fran who looked back with puppy eyes, "you know I could have stopped him," Fran sighed as he stretched his arm that was ready to strike Lancia.

Tsuna eyed Fran, "even among Mafia there should be honor. He was my opponent, not yours."

Fran puffed and looked hurt.

Tsuna ignored him and went to drag Lancia to a nearby wooden bench before putting him gently on it.

"Let's go," Tsuna said as he started running on the stony path that led to Kokuyo Middle School.

Fran couldn't help but remember Baron's words as he ran next to Tsuna, _"Fran, you need to look after you senpai very carefully, he has a gentle heart that doesn't belong in the Mafia World." _Baron was right.

But if anyone hurt his senpai, Fran would make them pay dearly.

{The Loyal Snake and the Broken Rain}

Tezuka led the group towards the building that was Kokuyo Middle School. Just earlier they had beaten the weird guy with the birds. Tezuka couldn't wait to prove himself towards Vongola Nono, maybe then the man would allow him to take the mantle of Vongola Tenth already.

Reborn told him to be patience, so Tezuka had nodded happily. Inside his mind he was cursing the baby Mafioso. If it were anyone else, Tezuka would have taught him a lesson, but it was Reborn. He was scared to death for Reborn's anger. He was happy that he hadn't yet given him reason to be mad at him. But Tezuka was good at hiding things. He wondered what his home teacher would say if he told him that he was the one who broke that baseball idiot's arm.

Moreover, it wasn't his fault. Reborn asked him to recruit Yamamato, so he did. Tezuka hardly talked to Yamamato six months ago. He needed to devise a plan to get his immediate attention and loyalty. And what better way than to prevent Yamamato from killing himself? Tezuka still smiled at his genius idea.

To gain Gokudera's trust he didn't even need to sweat. That moron was as loyal as a dog. If the Italian wanted to be treated like a dog, then Tezuka would happily agree. Though, at first Gokudera wanted to blow him up. He was in trouble until Reborn shot him with one of his weird bullets. He saved the Italian only by accident, because if he hadn't diffused the dynamite sticks, then he would get blown up too.

"_You truly are worthy of being the Vongola Tenth, forgive me Juudaime!" The Italian bowed almost a thousand times. Tezuka wanted to refuse him, but when he noticed Reborn's approving nod, he said, "I'll forgive you Gokudera-san," it took effort to say that._

Gokudera was only a few paces behind him.

"Reborn-san, what about the baseball freak?" Gokudera asked. Gokudera hated Yamamato, because Yamamato was always calm and emitted that feeling too. Gokudera felt more like a storm, so he strongly contrasted from the baseball freak. Even so, he couldn't help but wonder what happened to Yamamato.

"I don't know," Reborn answered, "he's not easily beaten though," Reborn hummed. Yamamato had deflected an attack launched by one of Rokudo Mukuro's men. Ken was his name, switched to his cheetah mode and took Yamamato into a pit with a ladder attached to the inner walls.

"_Don't worry guys, keep moving, I'll keep him occupied," Yamamato said before unsheathing his baseball bat. It transformed into a blade instantly._

That wasn't the only memory in Reborn's mind. Abel Tsunayoshi and his friend were in Kokuyo as well. He narrowed his eyes when that thought occurred in his mind.

{The Loyal Snake and the Broken Rain}

The building looked abandoned and neglected. Most of the windows were broken and patched up with wood, the floors were dirty, the walls were full of graffiti and almost all furniture inside was in pieces.

"They must have decorated the place senpai," Fran said as they walked in the soundless hallways of Kokuyo Middle School.

Tsuna hummed, "perfect for someone like Mukuro I suppose an-," Tsuna stopped looking around in distress. It felt like Fran was dying, but that couldn't be possible because Fran was right next to him. The feeling felt so real that he wanted to cry.

Fran looked at him worriedly, "what's wrong senpai?" The words echoed in his mind. The hallway became a hazy mess and the ground underneath him shook violently. Fran didn't seem to notice it. A blinding blue light shone to his right. The blue became less and less, almost fading. His heart felt like in a grip, "NO!"

"Senpai!?"

"Fran I need to go, I need to go!" His breath felt raspy and out of control. Tsuna was a collected and calm person for most of his life, but the blue light made him enraged and sad at the same time. His feet screamed at him to run towards the blue light and do something.

"Senpai!?"

"Fran, stay at the building, I need to check something out!" Tsuna barked before he ran back towards the entrance of the abandoned school, "I'll come back, I promise!" He left a speechless Fran behind.

Seconds later he was in the thick forests next to Kokuyo Middle School. He looked around and his world still shook violently. It took every bit of self constraint not to fall down on his knees and throw up his breakfast. The blue light was only the size of a lit candle now. His feet took him deeper and deeper into the forest.

Finally he came into a large clearing. In the middle of the clearing he noticed a round metal latch. He ran to it and pulled it up. He sensed and saw the blue light below the rails that led into a big room. He climbed the rails down. He was exhausted from the running. When he arrived below he panted and clutched at his knees not to fall.

"Tsuna?" A voice asked.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 – The Accident**

* * *

He was four around the time _the accident _happened.

It was a cold day in February, the wind was howling and the air could cut straight through you if you didn't wear enough clothes. The streets were empty and no children played outside. Namimori didn't really know very harsh winters, but this year was different from most years. Whenever Tsuna thought back at that cold February, he would smile sadly because it made sense that it was the _coldest_ February that Namimori ever knew.

It made sense because _the accident _occurred then and there.

He remembered walking down the street with his mother, father and younger twin brother. Their father was talking happily to their mother and Tsuna was holding hands with Tezuka while they ran ahead of their parents. Sometimes their mother would say how inseparable the twins were, but mostly she said to whomever asked, "those are my boys, I love them, though I wish Tsuna could be more like Tezuka."

They were nearing a playground, and because of the cold weather, it was empty. It didn't stop the Sawada family though. Tsuna played with Tezuka on the swing while their parents sat at a nearby bench smiling and huddling close to each other.

"Hey Tezu, did you like the gift that I gave you for your birthday?" Tsuna asked while he almost flew in the air. His brother laughed in joy, "yeah Tsu-onisan, I still have it on, look," Tsuna looked sideways and noticed Tezuka fingering the medal that he gave him for his fourth birthday. Tsuna received a soccer ball from Tezuka, though he really didn't like soccer, but he smiled when he received it because he didn't want Tezuka to be sad.

A gust of wind slapped Tsuna across the cheek. He looked around in surprise. Then it happened.

Black and white swam around him and Tezuka. The swimming figures became men with suits on, encircling the boys. Tezuka cowered in fear. Tsuna stopped swinging and clutched at his brother's shoulder. He was scared, but he would protect his brother if he could.

One of the men faced their father. Their father held their mother's hand. It looked like he would explode in anger, but when the stranger pointed backwards to Tezuka and himself, Iemitsu calmed down slightly.

Tsuna could make out little of what they said to each other, "we want the half rings that you have Iemits-, lying won't he-, think of your childr-," the stranger sounded serious.

His father looked like he wanted to answer, but he looked in agony because the boys were captured. When he opened his mouth to speak, he closed it. Suddenly raindrops fell down. Iemitsu smiled.

The stranger was the one distressed now, "get the children!" The stranger shouted to his subordinates, but to no avail because all men in suits fell down clutching at their chest. Iemitsu's smile faltered when the stranger ran towards Tezuka and Tsuna.

Suddenly the man pulled a gun and aimed it towards the boys, "not one step closer Iemitsu!" The stranger was middle aged. Tsuna could feel the anger in the stranger's dark eyes.

"Let my boys go you bastard!" Iemitsu yelled. A shade shimmered into existence next to Iemitsu, and another one and another one.

"Nono sent us Iemitsu-san," one of them said. He wore a blue shirt underneath a dark suit. All men looked in their fifties to sixties, but they looked strong and determined. Tsuna wondered who they were.

The stranger aimed his gun next to Tsuna's temple and put an arm around Tezuka. This stopped Iemitsu and the older gentlemen.

Tsuna felt scared. The mouth of the gun was burning against his head. If he didn't know any better, the gun was already fired. Was he dead now? His father didn't cry, so the stranger couldn't have pulled the trigger yet.

Tsuna wondered if he could save Tezuka if he used _that_. His father and the stranger were yelling towards each other. The old men looked sharp and waited for an opportunity to strike.

"_Use it Tsunayoshi-kun."_

Tsuna's eyes darted around when he heard that. A voice echoed around, but no one looked surprised, like they didn't hear it at all.

"_The stranger will kill you if you don't do something, do it, now!" _

And Tsuna listened.

A warm feeling began in his chest. It grew and grew until he felt flames trying to escape from beneath his skin. No one made a move, entirely unaware of what Tsuna was doing. Tsuna closed his eyes and focused on all the happy memories that he had. He remembered playing with Tezuka in their room, he remembered their father throwing and catching him in the air, he remembered his mother kissing him on his cheek on his birthday. The flames erupted when he opened his eyes.

One of the old men widened his eyes when he looked at Tsuna. He had a red shirt on instead of blue. No one else seemed to notice what the old men noticed. Tsuna didn't notice it either.

The barrel of the gun was still pointed towards his temple. He concentrated the flames to his feet and arms. With one swift strike he buried his elbow into the stranger's ribs. The gun fired. And the next moment happened all at once.

One of the old gentlemen appeared between the stranger and the boys, shielding Tsuna and Tezuka from harm. Another old gentlemen overpowered the stranger. His father ran towards him and his brother, scooped them up and ran towards their mother.

Tsuna didn't know why, but he felt eyes on him as he was a carried by his father. When he looked who it was he found Tezuka looking angry at him. Tezuka was never angry with Tsuna, but he seemed like he wanted to hurt him now. It made Tsuna sad to see his brother look at him that way. Was it the strange warm feeling that made Tezuka mad at him? He couldn't feel it at all now. He felt really tired.

Tsuna yawned. Their mother took Tezuka from their father and both walked home with the odd old gentlemen walking behind them. One of the old gentlemen had the mean person from before on his shoulder. The mean person didn't move. His skin was pale too.

They were almost home. Tsuna looked around. He noticed one of the old gentlemen, the one with a red shirt on. Tsuna looked at him and smiled warmly when the old man looked back. The old man widened his eyes before returning the smile.

{The Accident}

"I hate you no-good Tsuna!" Tezuka yelled in their shared room. Tezuka threw a tantrum a few hours after they came home. The old gentlemen and their parents were still talking downstairs.

"What did I do?" Tsuna asked surprised. His brother's words hurt.

"You know what you did!" Tezuka threw one of Tsuna's stuffed animals, a lion, on top of a closet that neither of them could reach.

And that was how the rest of the night continued. Tezuka refused to sleep, threw toys around, yelled and called Tsuna 'no-good'. Tezuka went almost as far as to hit his brother.

When a knock came on the door, Tezuka immediately stopped making a mess of their room.

Their father stepped in with an old man that Tsuna had never seen before. He had a kind face and wore a brown suit. Tsuna looked at the old man's eyes and found them soothing, as if they were the same as his own. The old man smiled at Tsuna.

"Tsuna-fish, Tezuka, this is my boss from work," their father said very proudly. The old man proceeded to step further into the room. He gave a warm smile to Tezuka and then to Tsuna. Tsuna's eyes locked on the older man's.

"Coyote, is this the one?" The old man said without looking away from Tsuna. The person with the red shirt walked in and nodded. Behind him the other old gentlemen were present and stepped into the room as well.

"Tsunayoshi isn't it?" The old man asked warmly. Tsuna nodded. The atmosphere felt soothing, when before Tezuka's anger kept it in lock. The old man's eyes were like a sea full of kindness that lit up the previous situation away.

The two stared at each other, one assessing the other, one not aware that he was being assessed.

Meanwhile Tezuka tightened his fists. "Why is Dame-Tsuna getting all the attention?" Tezuka thought resentful, "It's not like he saved us, he only shoved the mean person away," Tezuka's mood got worse with every second that passed as his brother and their father's boss looked at each other, fascinated by one another. "No, it's not fair! I don't want to be left behind! My grades are better than Dame-Tsuna's, I'm better at sports than Dame-Tsuna! He's a failure and useless!" All kinds of thoughts spiraled in Tezuka's mind. Something raged inside his mind, something that crept to his stomach, limbs, hands, fingers, toes, everywhere. It burned against his skin. His eyes began to hurt.

"It's not fair!" Tezuka yelled out as his eyes began to soar with rage. Tears streaked his face, "it's not fair!" He yelled again.

All eyes were suddenly on Tezuka. Iemitsu looked at his other son in awe. Timoteo couldn't believe what he was seeing. Nono's guardians were in shock.

Coyote's mouth hung open. He could have sworn that Tsunayoshi was the one that emitted the Dying Will Flames.

But now, right in front of his very eyes, Sawada Tezuka was burning with high density Dying Will Flames. His eyes were colored lightly red and on each of his hands a small flame burned. Maybe it was Tezuka earlier on; maybe Tezuka surprised the kidnapper while Tsunayoshi gave a nudge with his elbow.

"My boy!" Iemitsu shouted while he smiled in joy. He ran towards Tezuka, took him by the armpits and threw him up in the air. Tezuka's flames had become less and less until he cried no more and smiled as well.

Timoteo and his guardians gathered around Iemitsu and Tezuka. Each one of them sent a praising word. Timoteo ruffled the boy's hair while he gave one of his kind smiles.

Tsuna just sat there on the ground. He looked up at Tezuka who was smiling happily. Tezuka looked back at Tsuna for just a second. Tezuka moved his mouth silently, but Tsuna fully understood what he said, "you'll always stay useless Dame-Tsuna."

{The Accident}

"What are you doing here Tsuna?" Takeshi Yamamato asked weakly.

Tsuna chose to ignore Yamamato. Earlier on he couldn't walk without the attacking feeling that wouldn't leave him alone. Only when he arrived in the underground room did the feeling stop.

Silence followed, but he felt in peace in the almost dark room with the baseball player, with the person that his brother manipulated. He looked at Yamamato's eyes, at his battered body, looked at the blue flame that slowly distinguished inside him.

"I'm going to do something I shouldn't," Tsuna narrowed his eyes, paused and moved his hands towards the startled Yamamato.


	10. Chapter 10

I'm being piled up with college work. Still trying to make time for writing. For anyone interested, I've released a Naruto story with a somewhat similar element as the one used in this story. Forgive the short chapter, but I couldn't let you wait any longer. Next update may take a while.

* * *

**Chapter 10 – The One True Sky  
Act One  
**

* * *

"So you're Rokudo Mukuro?"

"Why yes I am, are you Vongola Decimo?" Mukuro asked with a teasing smile. Mukuro was happy to see the person that would make his life better. Taking over Sawada Tezuka's body would make him and his friends rich. They wouldn't have to hide from the Vindice anymore either, and the most pleasant part of it all would be that he could destroy the Vongola from within.

"Zuka, this isn't and opponent to underestimate got that?" The child infant spoke with a sharp gaze. Next to who could only be Reborn, one of the I Prescelti Sette, Hayato Gokudera stood. Mukuro wasn't really worried about the bombardier. What did catch him off-guard was the glowing ball on top of Reborn's hat. He was going to pay close attention to it.

"Alright Reborn-sensei," Decimo said with a tone that Mukuro recognized very easily. It was the one that he used when lying to someone.

"Well," Mukuro said as he stood from his throne like seat, "shall we begin?" He gave another teasing smile. Decimo's hands were burning red with flames, _"dying will flames?" _

"That won't save you Decimo," Mukuro laughed as he flicked his fingers and disappeared into a purple mist seconds later.

{One True Sky}

Tsuna didn't know why he did it. It felt horrible, but also good. He looked over his shoulder behind him to see Takeshi limping forward.

"Try to keep up Takeshi-san," Tsuna said silently. He fed Takeshi some of his own dying will flames. To his surprise something shocking happened.

"_I'll heal you Takeshi-san," Tsuna said as he put his hand on Takeshi's forehead. His entire hand shook when he made contact with Takeshi's forehead. A blinding light engulfed both of them. Tsuna could have sworn that he saw his own flames being converted into blue flames that were sucked into Takeshi-san's mouth and eyes. _

Tsuna planned for his own flames to heal Takeshi's wounds and thus replenishing Takeshi's flame supply. Instead his own flames were converted to Takeshi's dying will flame type.

"Alright Tsuna," Takeshi said happily. That bothered Tsuna a lot. How could such a person behave in that way? For all he knew, Tsuna was about to kill him.

"Hey Tsuna," he heard Takeshi say behind him as they turned around the back of the broken Kokuyo school, "thank you."

Tsuna stopped dead in his track. Above him the sky was roaring with lightning. Small pebbles of rain fell down on the two. "What?"

"I said thank you."

"But why? I'm your enemy," the smell of rain entered Tsuna's nose. The wind made the green trees across Kokuyo middle school move.

"Because you saved my life," Takeshi's eyes looked honest.

"I could still kill you, you know," Tsuna said with narrowed eyes. He didn't know where Takeshi was going with this. As far as he was considered, Takeshi was his prisoner. A prisoner he wouldn't have if he hadn't saved him.

"But you won't," Takeshi said and suddenly years of hitman-like training appeared on Takeshi's face. Tsuna widened his eyes. It wasn't that he was scared of Takeshi, but impressed by the honesty and assurance in his facial expression.

Tsuna nodded dumbfounded, "why are you friends with Tezuka?" He needed to know that.

"Huh?" Takeshi looked confused, "because he's a friend that I would protect with my life! He saved my life once!"

Tsuna felt horrible for knowing that his brother was both the cause and savior of Takeshi's troubles. "He's not what you think he is," Tsuna said while he looked down.

A hand suddenly clasped his shoulder. Tsuna looked up and saw Takeshi smiling, "you don't know him like I do, but you know what? We can all be friends after this!"

Tsuna shook the arm away. "We'll see," he whispered. He turned and continued running towards the school. Takeshi was right behind him.

Ten minutes later Tsuna and Takeshi were inside the school. Both of them stopped in front of a door where a lot of noise was coming from. Tsuna was about to open the door when he heard an ear deafening scream coming from behind it. Takeshi looked alarmed, "that's Tezuka!" Takeshi kicked the door open with brute force.

"Wait," Tsuna started distressed, "don't just g-," but Tsuna was already too late. Takeshi had already entered the large room. The feeling from before, the feeling that wouldn't let him go, it returned. But this time it came from multiple places. When he looked carefully into the purple mist inside the room, he could see a storm and sky flame dying out slowly.

"Is that it Vongola Decimo? I really thought Vongola's future boss would be much stronger," a voice with mischief said from out of nowhere.

Tsuna immediately recognized the flame type that was being used; mist. "_Where are you Fran? I could use your help right about now," _he hoped that he would find Fran in the school's corridors, but his best friend was nowhere to be seen. That and the pain in his head that was about to crush him made him want to throw up, _"no, I need to think clearly."_

"Kufufu, two more visitors? How nice, I think I'll need to welcome you two with sweets," the voice with mischief said.

Tsuna's years of mafia training kicked in and he became very cautious.

"Tezuka, where are you? Are you-, agh!" Takeshi's grunt was loud at first, but then slowly faded.

"Kufufu, that's one down, one to go."

"_I need to get rid of this mist before he attacks, or else I'm done for,"_ Tsuna immediately began looking around. The purple mist was everywhere, behind him, in front of him, above him. He prayed that Reborn wasn't around, because what he was about to do was risky, **"Fiamma." **Tsuna raised both his hands upwards, palms towards his face, and began concentrating. The mischievous voice was nearby, so he had to hurry up. Flames gathered around his hands.

"Kufufu, what are you doing? Think you can beat me?"

Tsuna smiled, "we'll see," and pulled his hands back until his chest muscles stretched, and then propelled his hands forward. The flames soared around the purple mist. Slowly the mist was being engulfed by the flames. The flames were overpowering the mist and disappearing along with the mist as it spread around.

When the flames and mist died out, Tsuna looked at the floor of the room. Gokudera and Tezuka were out along with Takeshi. They were lying around the corners of the room. None of them were in live-or-death condition, but if he didn't act soon, they would enter a critical state.

"Who are you?" The mischievous voice asked in wonder. Purple mist appeared out of nowhere in front of him. The mist condensed into a human silhouette before taking the appearance of a handsome young man with dark hair, pale skin and green and dark clothing.

Tsuna didn't like the bad vibe that he was getting from the stranger that could only be one person.

"You're Rokudo Mukuro," Tsuna said with narrowed eyes


End file.
